Utah student loses spleen after being gored by bull at San Fermin Festival

Patrick Eccles, a junior at the University of Utah, is gored by a fighting bull during the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival. (AP)

A Utah man is recovering in a hospital in northern Spain after being gored by a bull at the annual San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Fox13Now.com reports.

Patrick Eccles, a junior at the University of Utah, was among thousands at the event last Friday when one of the bulls charged at three men, including Eccles. The other two victims are from Spain.

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The 20-year-old has been interning in Barcelona for the summer. Eccles' father said he asked his son not to attend the run, but he went anyway, joining thousands who race with the bulls along a 930-yard route from a holding pen to the city bull ring.

Eccles was gored in the side and stomach, causing some internal bleeding. According to the Spanish hospital treating him, doctors had to remove his spleen after discovering it had been punctured by the bull’s horn.

The bull tossed one of the other two male victims on the ground with his horns and continued to attack him until people were able to tear the animal away. That man was gored in the groin, knee and thigh, but is expected to recover.

Eccles’ father said he had spoken to his son on the phone and he seemed to be in good spirits.